


Sock Monster

by ineffablesheep



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Prequel to canon, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 22:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4803806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesheep/pseuds/ineffablesheep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from Tumblr: “I lost a sock in the shared laundry room and a month later I see you streaking with it covering your dick and I’m seriously considering asking for it back.”</p><p>Or: how Rhodey and Tony met</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sock Monster

There was a sock monster in the washing machine. It was the only explanation for how one of James Rhodes’ favourite socks went missing. He’d looked everywhere for it, his room, his roommate’s drawers, his locker at the gym, his girlfriend’s place, everywhere. Any other sock and he would have given up a long time ago. But these socks were special. Hence the reason Rhodey was waist deep in a washing machine at 11pm.

“Come on! Where is it? Come here little sock, come to papa.”

Rhodey’s voice echoed out of the metal drum of the top loader into the stark room. The shared laundry was mercifully empty and silent, a line of washers down one wall and dryers down the other, halogens highlighting the wooden bench down the middle.

“Lost something? Other than your sanity, I mean.”

“Shit!” Rhodey snapped up, banging his head on the lip of the machine. He rubbed the slow forming bruise and glared at Pepper, before grinning. “Miss Potts! I thought you’d still be studying.” Pepper laughed and quickly hugged him.

“I hit a mind block with commerce and couldn’t sleep. Decided to go for a walk.”

“My lucky night.”

Pepper sat down on the bench and yawned. Following suit, Rhodey sat beside her and stifled a yawn of his own.

“So, what are you looking for anyway?”

“My sock. This pair’s my favourite and I want it back.”

“Not in the washer or dryer?” Rhodey shook his head and fought off another yawn. Next to him, Pepper swung her legs, eyes on the ceiling. “Your roommate isn’t hiding it is he? Maybe its revenge for the early morning runs alarms.” She giggled at Rhodey’s glare. “Okay, I hope for his sake he isn’t.” Standing, Pepper dropped down and scanned under the bench, then stood and peered into the washer Rhodey had been looking in last.

“Have you looked in all of these?” her voice echoed out.

“Yeah.” Rhodey hung his head and sighed, not noticing as Pepper knelt in from of him. Warm hands ran over the back of his neck and under his chin, tilting his head up till he could look Pepper in the eyes. She smiled, blue eyes soft and tired.

“Rhodey, look at me. We’ll find it, you’ll see. Give it a couple of weeks and it’ll turn up.” He nodded and yawned again. “Until then, let’s get you to bed.”

“Thanks Pep. You’re the best.”

“And don’t you forget it.”

 

\- One month later –

 

Exams at MIT were finally over, and Rhodey figured that it was about time he went out to celebrate. Apparently the rest of the school had had the same thought because the town and bars were overflowing with students.

Carefully, he made his way down the footpath behind Pepper and the rest of their friends. It was late, he was pleasantly buzzed, and his girlfriend had tomorrow off. Things could only be better, he mused, if his results were as good as he was aiming for. He was drawn back to the moment by Pepper, asking him if he’d found his missing sock yet.

“Nah, not yet. Still hoping it’ll, it’ll turn up somewhere.” He shrugged and grinned. “How come you ask?” Staring ahead, Pepper pointed at a pale figure rushing down the street towards them.

“Is that it there?”

The figure was streaking closer but Rhodey was focused on his missing sock as it waved wildly about on the very naked man. Wobbling ever so slightly, Rhodey started running. “My sock! You have my sock!” He pushed through his friends and waved his arms. “Oi! Give me my sock back!”

Later on, Pepper would tell him how he tackled the streaker, sitting on the man and calling him a sock thief, but Rhodey couldn’t be bothered with such details at the time. He’d found his sock, and he wanted it back.

“Gerrof me!” the man complained. “Who the fuck are you?” Panting, Rhodey pointed a finger in his face.

“My sock! Give it back!”

“It was in the washing machine finders keepers!” The man below him was familiar, Rhodey realised. Well, he didn’t know the guy, but Tony Stark’s reputation was borderline legendary. Despite the alcohol’s buzz, Rhodey figured that even Tony Stark would get cold lying naked on concrete at night.  
“Please. It’s my favourite. I’ll trade you a shirt for it.” Seeing that Stark was reluctant, he carried on. “Aren’t you cold? My sock isn’t gonna help you if you gotta shirt you can at least not be so naked.”

“Deal.”

Rhodey stood, stripping off his flannel shirt and the white one underneath. He handed that one to Stark and chucked his first one back on. Now that they were standing, Rhodey realised just how short Stark was. Consequently the shirt that was a little long on Rhodey was mid-thigh on the other man. He started laughing and once Stark realised what it was, joined in too.

“Here, here’s your sock you nutter. What’s the fuss?” Rhodey took the sock and shoved it in his pocket, doing his best to avoid touching it. “Tell you what, come for a drink with us and I’ll tell you what’s so awesome bout these socks.”

“’S a deal!”

“James Rhodes, but everyone calls me Rhodey.”

“Tony Stark.”

“Well Starkers, let’s find you your pants.”

**Author's Note:**

> Characters aren't mine. And while the trio are Americans, this kiwi can't handle writing colour without the u so chose not to americanise the story (sorry!)
> 
> But most importantly, Rhodey's socks are glow in the dark!


End file.
